Rome Sightseeing - The Best Instagram Spots in Rome

By Megan Hills

Enjoy a spot of Rome sightseeing and add a dash of culture to your social media with the best Instagram spots in Rome below!

Rome, the eternal city, has centuries of history, culture and art thanks to being the heart of the Roman Empire. With a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and spiritual landmarks, Rome sightseeing is second to none! While wandering around town, you'll want to keep your camera handy because we've put together a list on some of the best photo spots around the city. Pack your portable charger because you're set for some serious Rome sightseeing with our guide to the best Instagram spots in Rome.

St Peter's Basilica

As the heart and soul of the Roman Catholic faith, St Peter's Basilica is renowned for its stunning architecture, distinctive dome and marble detailing. It happens to be the largest church in Rome and there's always something breathtaking to photograph both inside and out, whether you're snapping photos of its tall pillars or Bernini's bronze pavilion. Filled with sculptures and mosaics, it's also an inspiring place of artistic expression and boasts an incredible view of the city from the top of its towers.

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Sistine Chapel

Best known for its captivating ceiling fresco The Last Judgement painted by Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel is one of the most visited sites within the Vatican City and also most frequently photographed. Part of the Vatican Museums which contains a prolific collection of art and details the history of Catholicism in the city, the 15th century chapel also features murals by Botticelli. Stand in the centre of the cathedral and point your camera directly upwards at Michelangelo's masterpiece for the ultimate Instagram shot.

내 눈앞에 콜로세움이 있는게 왠지 그냥 어이가 없었다

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The Coliseum

Add a splash of ancient history to your Instagram feed with a shot of the Roman Coliseum, where gladiators, wild animals and emperors once roamed. More than 2000 years later, it's now frequented mainly by tourists and the gigantic amphitheatre's distinctive arches, pillars and steep, tiered seats are impossible not to photograph. Scale to the top of its seating area and its walkways to get a full sense of the structure's sheer size, as well as a breathtaking view over its crumbling ruins.

Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo

This stark structure cuts an imposing figure amidst Rome's skyline and the former fortress stands sentinel over the nearby River Tiber. Now a popular ancient Roman museum and the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, it's always a hit with history buffs and travel photographers. According to legend, a holy vision depicted the Archangel Michael sheathing his sword on top of the building to signify the end of a plague wracking the city and this has been recreated in an impressive bronze figure, overseeing the city. The opulent Papal Apartments are rich with stunning details and the Courtyard of the Angel is perfect for well-lit photographs.

A mais bela e conhecida fonte barroca italiana ⛲ . 📍 Fontana di Trevi | Roma 📸 @royalcaribbean

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Trevi Fountain

While it may be a struggle to get a photo of the Trevi Fountain without crowds of tourists in your shot, it's an iconic Roman sight with beautiful Baroque sculptures. Get someone to snap a photo of you tossing coins into its glittering waters (a popular tradition that is said to ensure a return trip to Rome) or sitting on its low walls with the marble structure arcing over you, much like Hillary Duff in the Lizzie McGuire Movie.
Megan Hills
Rome Travel Expert

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Fun Facts about the Vatican Museums

The Vatican City is the home of the Pope and thus the Christian world and especially this year with the Jubilee of Mercy it holds even more significance. The magnitude of its importance means that often the smaller facts are overlooked. Here are 10 facts about the Vatican so you can impress your friends as you walk around: With a total area of 0.44 kilometres (1/8th the size of central park) the Vatican is the smallest country in the world It is entirely landlocked by Italy and has no motorways or large roads, only streets The Vatican is governed by an absolute monarchy with the Pope as its head. It has its own passports, flag and national anthem. There is no tax within the Vatican. Sale of museum admission and souvenirs is the only way the government generates revenue. The Vatican doesn’t have an official language. People speak Italian, English, French, German, and Spanish. The Vatican has the smallest population of any country in the world- around 1000 people would call it their home. The Vatican has its own radio station that broadcasts in 20 different languages across the world. The Vatican City is a UNESCO Wold heritage site, and is the only site that encompasses an entire country. Vatican City is the only independent state that has not become a member of the United Nations. If you joined all the Vaticans museum rooms together they would extend for 9 miles. If you spent one minute looking at each painting in the museums it would take you 4 years to see them all. If you want more, read about the top 10 things to see in the Vatican Museums and learn about these 20 fascinating facts about the Sistine Chapel.
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Hop On Hop Off Rome: The Best Tours To Take

All roads lead to Rome and, once you’re there, a hop on hop off Rome bus tour is a great way to explore the city. Whether you want to get your bearings or plan to visit attractions that are further apart, it gives you the freedom to make your own way without being tied to a particular itinerary - as well as not having to spend the whole day on your feet. Brought to you by the OMNIA Vatican & Rome team, here is a handy guide to the best tours and how to get the most out them. Pulling out the stops Most of Rome’s hop on hop off bus tours follow a similar route through the city, with departure points at the Vatican and Termini station. This is partly because Rome’s authorities control the number of stops in the ancient city centre, to keep pollution and congestion in check. The main routes operate three or four buses an hour, providing similar open top buses with audio commentary in a number of common languages, including English. Completing the circuit A complete bus tour should take between 1.5 and 2 hours, depending on traffic. It’s a good idea to complete the whole circuit on your first day as you’ll get an excellent understanding of the layout of the city. Some of the central attractions are within easy walking distance of each other and once you have a rough idea of where they are, you’ll find it much easier to plan your visit. The main attractions The Pantheon, the ancient pagan temple built in 120 AD and later converted into a church, and Piazza Navona, a public square on the site of an ancient arena with beautiful examples of Baroque architecture, are close together. They can be conveniently visited by ‘hopping off’ at the stop for either attraction. Similarly, the Colosseum, the world’s largest amphitheatre ever, is located close by the Circo Massimo (or Circus Maximus), the ruins of an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium, so you can conveniently visit both without hopping on the bus in between. If you want to visit the Forum (Foro Romano), you will need to get off at either Piazza Venezia to the north or the Colosseum to the south and continue on foot, as it doesn’t have its own stop. The Forum was for many centuries the centre of Roman public life: originally a marketplace, it went on to become the site of processions, elections, speeches and trials. The site attracts over 4.5 million visitors and is one of the highlights of a visit to Rome. The must-see attractions at the Vatican are served by all hop on hop off Rome buses. They include St Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the art of Michelangelo, Raphael and many others. You could easily spend a whole day here! Most bus tours also include stops along the river Tiber, including Tiber island (Isola Tiberina). However, if you wish to visit the Basilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano) in the west of the city, you should book with Roma Cristiana, as it is the only operator with a stop here. Ticket to ride A Bus tour is included in the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass as one of our free attractions, but a bus tour ticket can also be purchased via company agents near the main stops or at hotels. It’s much better to book online, to avoid getting rushed into a purchase. There are also often online discounts. Make sure you know where tickets can be ‘activated’, so that you can include this in your travel plans for the day, and also look at the operating hours for your line. The tours mainly operate during the day, so if you are going out in the evening, you will not be able to hop on for a ride to your hotel. Routes may vary at the weekends. If you are travelling with children, it is worth shopping around, as there are significant differences in pricing for under-15s. Combo tickets Many of the bus tours partner with attractions and other organisations to offer combination tickets. This can save you money compared to paying for each entrance ticket separately and provide other benefits, such as fast track entry or public transport passes. It’s definitely worth looking into. While hop on hop off Rome tours remain a popular attraction in themselves, it is definitely worth spending some time exploring the city on foot. Although the main sites can get very busy, every Roman holiday should include a taste of the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle. With picturesque fountains, traditional trattorias and tiny piazzas around every corner, the city is also a photo album waiting to happen.
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Things to see and do in Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese is one of Rome’s most popular parks and, endearingly, shaped like a heart. Nestled right in the centre of the city – aptly – it’s accessible from the top of the biggest shopping street, where Via del Corso meets Piazza del Popolo, and through the impressive marble pillar gates off the once exclusive, Via Veneto. So it’s on point for location. For a bit of context, originally, Villa Borghese was one of Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s many private vineyards surrounding his villa and was later turned into a park in 1605. Its sweeping natural and English-classic landscape, as we see today, was not actually in its initial design but was changed in the 1800s to fit in with the fashions of the time. The English heritage architecture and ponds provide a romantic backdrop to your park life, with the Lake Garden and Plain of Oaks to be enjoyed; there’s so much to see and do that you could easily spend all day there. Why not rent a row boat and row across the lake, or feed the ducks with your kids? There’s plenty of other places to explore in Villa Borghese; there’s a reason it’s dubbed the park of museums by locals. Full of cultural outlets to discover Rome’s rich history of art, sculpture and all things ‘refined’ there’s a tiny cinema, a prestigious art gallery and museum and even a zoo. Il Cinema dei Piccoli – The Tiny Cinema This little green house in the heart of Villa Borghese is a must-see for the kids – and is the smallest cinema in the world, according to the Guinness World Book of Records. With afternoon screenings of kid’s films and evening showings of adult popular culture it’s a great one if you’re semi-fluent in Italian as all the films are dubbed. With no subtitles. Even if you don’t stay for a screening, it’s a fun place to stick your head through the door if anything. Viale della Pineta, 15 (+39 06 8553485) Wednesday to Friday 5pm and 6:30pm; Saturday and Sunday 3:30pm, 5pm and 6:30pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Teatro Marionette San Carlino – San Carlino Puppet Theatre Indulge in Italy’s version of Punch and Judy and take your little ones over to the Marionette Theatre, or theatre of the puppets. In true Colombina and Pulcinello style, watch this puppet show throughout the week in this small theatre with hand painted backdrops and props. Viale dei Bambini, Pincio (+39 06 3335320) Bookings are necessary. Bioparco di Roma – Rome Conservation Zoo 106 years old, Rome’s Zoo has undergone huge transformations over the years from its original Hagenbeck design (where cages were replaced with large pits) to now a well-respected zoological conservation with numerous enclosures of a wide range of exotic animals. It’s a great place to spend a few hours and stroll around the lions, giraffes and Bengal tigers – and there are plenty of interactive exhibitions for the kids to get involved with, especially if you catch some of the feeding shows too. Viale del Giardino Zoologico, 20 (+39 06 360 8211) Galleria Borghese – Borghese Gallery This famous gallery was once a collection by the Borghese family that dates back 2,000 years. There’s an eclectic mix of items and artefacts within the museum and gallery that spans 2,000 years, through the Renaissance period and up to contemporary exhibitions. It’s the largest collection of private art in the world and features masterpieces from Caravaggio, Raphael, Botticelli and Bernini. Piazzale del Museo , Borghese, 5 (+39 06 32810) Free entry with the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass but you must pre-book an allocated entry time before you arrive. Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 – Saturdays, 9:00 to 13:00
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